Parking time key



July 30, 1940. W H. FRASER 2,209,691

PARKING TIME KEY Filed Deo. 5, 1.958

INVENTOR.

Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES 14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a parking time key, and it consists oi the combinations, constructions and arrangements here-- inafter described and claimed.

The business districts in larger cities have parking restrictions and in many instances allot a predetermined time period for a car to remain parked at any given location. It is difficult for a person who has parked his car in a time restricted zone to know exactly when the time period is up and this is true even though a person carries a watch because frequently he either fails to check the time at the moment o1 parking or he will forget the exact time of parking soon after leaving the car. The result is that the person will come back to the car either Sooner than necessary or after the parking time period has elapsed. v

The principal object of my invention is to provide a parking time key which is automatic in operation and will warn the driver after a pre` determined time period has elapsed. The device includes the use of an automobile ignition key and the mere placing of this key in the automobile lock to start the car, will actuate a member to wind a clock mechanism forming a part of the device. The clock mechanism will be held against functioning so long as the key remains in the lock, but as soon as the key is removed, the mechanism will keep time and when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the device will automatically give a warning sound that will be heard by the driver. This will warn him that it is time to return to the car. The device employs novel means for controlling the amount of time to elapse before the device will function to give its warning signal.

The device is extremely simple in construction and is also compact so that'it may be carried with the other keys or in the pocket. The

drawing shows the casing on a large scale for the purpose of more clearly showing the parts, but in reality the mechanism will be made small so that the casing will take up very little additional space. It is possible to place diierent keys on the device and in this way the article can be used on diierent ignition locks or for other purposes.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the `following specication, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

My invention is illustrated in the accompany- -ing drawing forming a part of this application, in which l j I (Cl. 'Z0-395) Figure 1 is a vertical section through the de= vice taken substantially along the line i-II of Figure 3, parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but shows the parts inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a section substantially along the line 3 3 or Figure l;

Figure i is a section substantially along the line -t of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the device, porf surface for receiving'the handle 4 of an automobile ignition key 5 or other key, see Figures 3 and 5. A screw 6 removably secures the key to the casing and this permitsany desired key to be attached to the casing. The Shank of the key projects beyond the periphery of the casing and a bar I slides along one side of the shank, see Figure `3. The bar is designed to be moved inwardly into the casing when the key is inserted in a lock and the bar contacts with the face 8 of the lock, see Figure 2.

The bar has its inner end provided with a bore 9 for receiving a guide and supporting rod ID that is carried by the casing I. A coil spring II is mounted on the rod and bears against the inner end of the bore 9 so as to yieldingly urge the bar in an outward direction. When the bar is moved inwardly by the insertion of the key into a lock, it will wind up a timekeeping mechanism. This mechanism after operating for a predetermined length of time upon the withdrawal of the key from the lock, will free the bar I and the bar will actuate a sound producing mechanism to warn the driver the time is up. I will describe the sound producing mechanism first and then will set forth the particular construction of the timekeeping mechanism.

The bar l has a rack fl? on its underside and this rack meshes with a ratchet wheel I3, see Figure 4, mounted on a shaft I4 that is carried by the rear wall 2. The ratchet wheel I3 is so designed so as not to impart rotation to a gear I I5 during the insertion of thekey in the lock and the retraction of the bar. The ratchet wheel I3 is shown in Figure 'l in mesh with the rack I2. The bar 1 is seen from the same side as shown in Figure 5. The wheel consists of a ring gear portion I 3a meshing with the rack I2 and riding over a hub portion |3224 when the lbar is moved inwardly in the direction of the arrow o. The hub has wedge-shaped recesses |30 'with balls i3d that^ willlock the hub to the ring gear when the bar 1 moves outwardly under the force of the spring The hub |3b is connected to the gear I5 by means of a sleeve |5a, see Figure 4,` and the gear I5 meshes withI a gear |3 that is operatively connected to a disc il.

, Figure 5 shows the disc I1 as being of a large diameterand carrying spring members I8 that are designed to be rapidly moved over projections i3 carried by the casing. This will create arattling noise that will give a warning signal. Itis possible touse weights (not shown) in place of springs i8v and. these weights can be pivoted to the disc and will fly out by centrifugal force y when the disc is rotated so as .to successively strike the projections i8 and give a warning signal. It

20 will be seen from this construction that when the bar l is released by a mechanism hereinafter described and' is moved outwardly by the spring A| then the ratchet wheel |3 will be rotated and will rotate the gears i5 and |6 and cause the disc il 25 to rotate and give the warning signal.

I provide novel means for locking the bar 1 i against outward movement until a predetermined time period has elapsed. This means includes means for holding the bar 1 and also a clock f3@ mechanism. The clock mechanism is shown in 40 lto its unwound state ready for the next operation.

Flgureishows the ratchet wheel 2| mounted on al shaft 23 that is carried by the rear wall 2 of the casing. A large gear 2t is mounted on the shaft 23 and the coil. spring 22 connects the gears 45 2| and 24 together so that the gear 24 is placed under spring tension when the main spring 22 is wound by the rotation of the ratchet wheel 2|. 'I'he gear y2li meshes with another gear 25 which intlrn is rotatably mounted on the shaft I3. An

50 escapement wheel 26 of standard watch construction is connected with' the gear 25 and is controlled in its movement by a standard escapement lever 21. The llever 21 is actuated by a balance. wheel 218 and a hair spring 29 in the usual manner 55 of clock mechanisms.

A small'gear 30 is connected with the gear 24 so as torotate therewith and meshes with a large gear 3| which in turn is connected to a disc 32 by means of a sleeve 33. 'I'he gear 3|, the disc 32 and the sleeve 33 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 34. A time indicating lever 35 is also mounted] on the yshaft 34 and a coil spring 36 bears against a head of the 'shaft 34 and frictionally holds the lever against the disc 32, for causing 65 the leverto rotate with the disc. l Figure 1 shows thele/ver extending through a slot 31 in the casing and Figure 6 s'howsfthe periphery of the cas.- ing, adjacent to the slot, provided withtime-indif' eating numbers 38. These numbers indicate time 70 intervals from 0 up to 60 minutes. It isobvious that the numbers may be changed at will to indicate other time periods.

In Figure 1, I show a'spring actuated catch l3|! for holding the bar, 1 in retracted position. 'I'he 75 bar has a notch 40 for receiving the catch when the key 5 is retracted from therlock and the bar has moved a sumcient distance to align the notch with the catch. So long as the key remains in the lock, the bar 1 will be retracted to a position where the notch 4@ will be moved beyond the catch 39, see Figure 2. A stop arm or nger 3| is carried by the bar 1 and contacts with the balance wheel 28, see Figure 2, for preventing the rotation of the wheel so .long as the key remains in the lock. When now the key is removed from the lock, the bar 1. will be initially moved by the spring until the catch-33 enters the notch 30. The bar is prevented from further movement until the designated time period has elapsed. Figure l 3 shows the catch 39 provided with a spring 33a. for yieldingly urging the catch against the bar. The opposite end 39h of the catch extends up to a position adjacent the disc 32, see Figures 1 and l2. The time-indicating lever 35 has a projection 42 for contacting with the end 39h when the lever reaches the 0 reading on the time scale 33. This will free the catch from the notch and will permit the spring to immediately move the bar back into starting posi-- tion.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation readily understood.

The key 5 is used in the ordinary manner and when the keyJ is inserted into the lock, the bar 1 will belretracted. This rearward movement of ythe bar will cause the ratchet wheels 3 and 2| to rotate. As already stated, the ratchet wheel i3 in rotating will not rotate the disc U|1. The ratchet wheel 2|, however, in rotating, will Wind the mainspring 22 which in turn will act asl a spring motor and furnish the power for running the clock mechanism.' 'I'he bar 1 carries the finger 5| which will engage with the ybalance wheel 28 and prevent the wheel from' operating so long as the' key remains in the lock.I The clock mechanism will therefore not function until the key is remov Itl will be noted from Figure 2" that when he bar 1 is entirely retracted, the notch d will be held out of registration with the spring 45 actuated catch 33. This is to permit the bar to remove the nger 4| from the balance wheel as soon as the key is removed from thelock.

Before the key is removed from the lock, however, the driver manipulates the time-indicating lever along the slot 31, see Figure 6, into a position where it will indicate the time which is to elapse before the device will givea warning sound. For example, if the parking time limit is thirty minutes in the zone where the car is parked,'the lever "35 will be moved opposite the number 30 or if the driver wishes to be warned ilve minutes ahead of time, the lever can be moved midway between the numbers 2Q and 30. -The Dspring 3G will permit this setting of the lever and the disc 32 will-not be rotated. When the lever is freed, the spring will hold it against the disc so the lever will slowly turn with the disc while the clock mechanism is functioning. If the driver does notV wish to set the device, in order to have it warn him at a later time, he can merely permit the lever 35 to remain in a position opposite the "0 number when removing the key from the lock. The projection 42 will then continue" to engage with the catch 39 and hold it in inop- 70 erative position. 'Ihe bar 1 will therefore immediately move into its outermost position and the device will therefore not.`be able to function at a later time.

After the lever has been set for a certain time, 75

thereof may be 7 CTI it will slowly move to the 0 position and the driver can in this Way tell how much time he has left. The leve!` is moved by the disc 32 and when the lever reaches 0" position, the projection 42-will free the catch 39 from the bar 1. This will permit the bar to be instantly moved outwardly by the spring Il and to rotate the ratchet wheel i3 and the disc/l1. The springs I8, carried by the disc, will rattle over the projections i9 and give a warning sound-that will inform the person carrying the device that the time period has elapsed. The device will be automatically reset when the key'is again piaced in the lock and the lever 35 will remain in 0 position until it is again manually moved into a position opposite the desired number prior to taking they key from the lock. Should the driver return to the car before the warning mechanism has operated, it is necessary that the lever 35 be manually moved into "0 position before the key is again inserted into the lock. This will permit the catch 3Q to iree the bar 1 and then when the key is reinserted in the lock, the retraction of the bar 'l will again completely wind the spring 22. If the driver does not move the lever into the 0" or ofi position to free the bar prior to inserting the key into the lock, the bar 1 will not be repressed and the spring 22 will not be Wound completely and therefore ,fa subsequent removal of the key from the lock will leave a partly woundA4 u spring without su-fiici'ent tension to operate the clock mechanism for the full time period.

Different keys may be attached to the casing and this adapts the device to be usedwiuth different cars or for other purposes. The casing I may be made extremely compact yand the operating parts may be made very small. The entire device should therefore not occupy much more space than occupied by the key itself. This will permit the device to be carried in a key container, if desired or in a pocket or pocket book.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without "departing from the spirit of the invention.

'the key in a lock for winding the mechanism,

means for holding the bar retracted when the key is removed from the lock, means for producing a warning sound, means actuated by the-mechanism for releasing the bar after a predetermined time interval, and a spring for returning the bar to initial position, said bar in moving, actuating said sound producing means.

2. A parking time key having a timekeeping mechanism, a bar extending alongside of the key and being moved 'when the key is inserted in a lock, the movement of the bar Winding the mechanism, said mechanism functioning when the key is withdrawn from the lock, a spring for moving the bar back into starting position, a catch for holding the bar in retracted position, means carried by the mechanismffor freeing the bar after a predetermined time interval, and an audible signal actuated by the return movement of the bar.

3. In a parking time key, a timekeeping mechanism, a bar for winding the mechanism, a spring for returning the bar to starting position, means for holding the bar against return movement, meansactuated by the mechanism for releasing the bar-holding means after a predetermined time interval and including adjustable means for varying the length of the time interval at will.

4. In a parking time key, a timekeeping mechanism, a bar movable into a retracted position for winding the mechanism, a catch for holding the bar retracted, a lever movable by the mechanism for freeing the catch from the bar after a predetermined time interval, said lever being manually adjusted for varying the amount of time necessary to elapse before freeing the catch, a spring for returning the bar to initial position when the bar is freed, and a warning signal actuated by the return movement of the bar.

5. In a parking time key, a timekeeping mechanism, a bar movable into a retracted position for winding the mechanism, a catch for holding the bar retracted, a lever movable by the mecha- `nisrn for freeing the catch from the bar after a predetermined time interval, said lever being manually adjusted for varying the amount of time necessary to elapse before freeing the catch, a spring for returning the bar to initial position when the bar is freed, and a warning signal actuated by the return movement of the bar, said lever being movable into a position for immediately freeing the bar. A

6. A parking time key having a casing, a timekeeping mechanism mounted therein, a bar slidable along one side of the key and being movable into retracted position when the key is inserted in 'a lock, a spring for returning the bar to starting position, said bar when retracted winding the mechanism, means carried by the ber for preventing. the mechanism from functioning so long as the key remains in the lock, a catch for holding the bar in retracted position after the key has been removed from the lock and after the bar has moved a slight distance -to free the clock-stopping mechanism and permit it to function, a lever for freeing the catch, said lever being slowly moved by the mechanism and being manually adjusted to vary the time period for freeing the catch, said casing having numbers associated with the lever for indicating the time to elapse before the catch isfreed from the bar, and a warning signal actuated by the return movement of the bar to starting position.

7. In a device of the type described` a casing, a time keeping mechanism mounted therein, a spring-pressed bar for winding the mechanism, a key removably secured to the casing and lying alongside the bar, whereby the bar will be repressed when the key is inserted in a lock and will Wind the mechanism, said mechanism functioning when the key is removed from the lock, means for preventing the return movement of the bar, means actuated by the mechanism for freeing the bar holding means, and a warning signal operatively connected to the bar and being actuated by the moving bar after a given time interval.

8. In combination, a timekeeping mechanism, a key, a spring-pressed bar moved by the face of a lock when the key is inserted in the lock, the movement of the bar winding the mechanism, means associated with the bar for preventing the mechanism from operating, a warning signal, said mechanism functioning when freed by the lastnamed means due to the removal of the key and the return of the bar, said mechanism actuating the warning signal after a predetermined time interval.

9. The combination with a key insertable into a lock, of a timekeeping mechanism associated therewith, means for winding the mechanism, means actuated by the withdrawal of the key for meanaand means actuated by the mechanism after predetermined time interval for operating -the signalling means.l

10. 'I'he combination with a key insertable into a lock, of a timekeeping mechanism associated therewith, means forf winding the mechanism,

means actuated by the -withdrawal of the key for starting Jthe mechanism to operate, signalling means, and means actuated by the mechanism.

after a predetermined time interval for operating the signalling means, and means for varying the time period between the withdrawal oi' the key and the operation of the signalling means.

11. A parking time key having a timekeeping' .mechanism means for winding the mechanism,

means actuated by the withdrawal of the key for starting the mechanism to operate, signalling means, means actuated by themechanism after a predetermined time interval for operating the signalling means, said signal operating means including a manually adjustable hand for varying the elapsed time period. ,c

12. A parking time key" comprising acasing, a key removably secured thereto, a timekeeping mechanism housed within the casing, a springpressed bar slidably disposed alongside of the key and being moved when the key'is inserted into a lock, the inward movement of the bar winding themechanism, a catch for holding the bar retracted when the key is removed from the lock, an adjustable release for the catch and being moved by the mechanism to free the catch after a predetermined time interval, and signalling means operated by the moving bar during the return of the bar to normal position.

13. A parking time key comprising a casing, a key removably secured thereto, a timekeeping aeoaeefi mechanism housed within the casing, a springpressed bar slidably disposed alongside of the key and being moved when the key is inserted into f a lock, the inward movement oi the bar winding the mechanism, a catch for holding thel bar retracted when the key is removed from the lock, an adjustable release for the catch and being moved by the mechanism to free the catch after a predetermined time interval, and signalling means operated by the moving bar during the return of the bar to normal position, said adjustable release consisting of a lever moved by the mechanism, said casing having a slot for exposing theiree end of the lever, and numbers placed on the casing and disposed along the slot for indicating elapsed time.

14. A parking time key comprising a casing, a. key removably secured thereto, a timekeeping mechanism housed within the casing, a springpressed bar slidably disposed alongside of the key and being moved when the key is inserted into a lock, the inward movement of the bar winding the mechanism, a catch for holding the bar retracted when the key is removed from the lock, an adjustable release for the catch and being moved by the mechanism to free the catch after/ a predetermined time interval, and signalling means operated by the moving bar during the return of the bar to normal position, said adjustable y release consisting of a lever moved by the mechamism, said casing having a slot for exposing the free end of the lever, and numbers placed on the casing and disposed along the slot for indicating velapsed time, said lever when placed in "zero position, holding the catch free ofthe bar for permitting the bar to return to normal position the instant the key is removed'from the lock. I WHLIAM HUGH FRASER. 

